Sanford weather in December

In December, Sanford sees average daytime highs of 36°F and overnight lows near 24°F, with 4.3 in of precipitation across 10.4 wet days and about 8.8 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 40°F in the first days to 33°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Sanford's 8th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sanford's year-round climate.

Daytime high
36°
10th warmest
Overnight low
24°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
4.3 in
10.4 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
7:16 AM – 4:03 PM
Cloud cover
60%
8th clearest
Wind
8 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.52 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Sanford is city in York County, Maine, United States.

Density
165/km²
people per km²
Founded
1739

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 40°F in the first days to 33°F by the end.

A typical December day in Sanford reaches about 36°F in the afternoon and slips back to 24°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°F and 49°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 6°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14128
24128
34028
44027
53927
63927
73826
83826
93825
103725
113725
123724
133724
143624
153623
163623
173623
183523
193522
203522
213522
223522
233522
243421
253421
263421
273420
283320
293320
303320
313319

How December really feels in Sanford

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 31 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
31
14 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

The story in December is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Sanford weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 16°3.39.37.19.10.0
Feb33° / 17°3.28.76.710.20.0
Mar41° / 26°4.110.96.211.60.3
Apr53° / 37°4.110.52.313.23.1
May64° / 47°3.210.50.114.55.5
Jun74° / 56°4.011.7015.26.4
Jul79° / 63°3.711.4014.96.4
Aug78° / 61°3.59.5013.86.9
Sep70° / 54°3.58.7012.36.8
Oct58° / 43°4.39.50.310.84.6
Nov47° / 33°3.69.11.79.51.5
Dec36° / 24°4.310.46.18.80.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 54%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14753
24753
34753
44753
54852
64753
74753
84753
94654
104753
114555
124555
134555
144555
154357
164357
174357
184456
194456
204555
214555
224555
234654
244654
254654
264852
274753
284753
294951
304951
314951

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Sanford gets around 4.3 in of rain and snow over 10.4 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 33% and peaks near 34% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13114
23215
33216
43217
53217
63218
73218
83319
93319
103319
113320
123420
133420
143420
153419
163419
173419
183419
193419
203419
213419
223419
233419
243420
253320
263320
273320
283321
293321
303321
313222

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in December

Winds average 8 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:02 AM to 7:22 AM, and sunset from 4:03 PM to 4:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.07:024:03
29.07:044:03
39.07:054:03
48.97:064:02
58.97:074:02
68.97:074:02
78.97:084:02
88.97:094:02
98.97:104:02
108.87:114:02
118.87:124:02
128.87:134:02
138.87:134:02
148.87:144:02
158.87:154:03
168.87:164:03
178.87:164:03
188.87:174:04
198.87:174:04
208.87:184:04
218.87:194:05
228.87:194:05
238.87:194:06
248.87:204:06
258.87:204:07
268.87:214:07
278.87:214:08
288.87:214:09
298.87:214:09
308.87:224:10
318.87:224:11

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.52 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.52 kWh/m² to a high of 6.05 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.52 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.6Dim
21.6Dim
31.6Dim
41.6Dim
51.6Dim
61.6Dim
71.6Dim
81.5Dim
91.5Dim
101.5Dim
111.5Dim
121.5Dim
131.5Dim
141.5Dim
151.5Dim
161.5Dim
171.5Dim
181.5Dim
191.5Dim
201.5Dim
211.5Dim
221.5Dim
231.5Dim
241.5Dim
251.5Dim
261.6Dim
271.6Dim
281.6Dim
291.6Dim
301.6Dim
311.6Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Sanford

In seasonPeak

None of Sanford's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Sanford sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Sanford?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Sanford.

What to pack for Sanford in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Sanford sees daytime highs around 36°F and nights near 24°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Sanford in December

The nearest coast averages about 45°F in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 21 mi away) is warmest in August at about 64°F and coldest in March near 38°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan42Bracing
Feb39Bracing
Mar38Bracing
Apr42Bracing
May48Bracing
Jun56Bracing
Jul62Cool
Aug64Cool
Sep61Cool
Oct55Bracing
Nov49Bracing
Dec45Bracing

UV index in Sanford in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Sanford peaks around July 12 at about 7 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateModerateLowJul 12UV 7Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun7High
Jul7Very high
Aug4Moderate
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Sanford?

Sanford sits at 43.4°N, 70.8°W, 302 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Rochester, 14 mi away.

Topography around Sanford

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Sanford.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Sanford has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 492 ft around an average of 374 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,066 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,101 ft.

The land around Sanford is covered by trees (77%) within 2 miles, trees (87%) within 10 miles, and trees (68%) and water (27%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
492 ft
10 miles
1,066 ft
50 miles
4,101 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
December weather nearby: Rochester 14 mi · Biddeford 17 mi · Saco 17 mi · Dover 17 mi · West Scarborough 21 mi · Portsmouth 25 mi · Westbrook 26 mi · South Portland Gardens 27 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Sanford (43.4393°, -70.7742°, elevation 302 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).